Surgical pad

ABSTRACT

A surgical pad or sponge is provided which includes a central portion of absorbent gauze with a loop attached thereto with an attached plastic ring having irradiation opaque properties.

51 0ct. l7, 1972 United States Patent Stone [54] SURGICAL PAD 3,464,415 9/1969 Broiwnlee..................128/296 3,508,551 4/1970 Walters et al..............l28/296 3,566,871 3/1971 [72] Inventor: Charles E. Stone, Douglaston, N.Y'.

[73] Assignee: Chaston Medical 8; Surgical Products, Inc., Plainview, N.Y.

June 15, 1971 gue, 1962, page 6 128- 22 Filed:

[211 App]. No.1 153,216

Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorney-Zachary T. Wobensmith, 2nd

[57] ABSTRACT A surgical pad or sponge is provided which includes a central portion of absorbent [521 (LS. [51] Int. 13/00 [58] Field of Search.........l28/l.l, 1.2,296, 132, 156

' gauze with a loop at- [56] References cued tached thereto with an attached plastic ring having ir- UNITED STATES PATENTS radiation opaque properties.

3,097,649 Gray..........................128/296 7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDum 11 I972 INVENTOR CHARLES E. STONE ATTORNEY 1 SURGICAL PAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIO l Field of the Invention This invention relates to a surgical pad or sponge of the cotton gauze type with an attached counting ring opaqueto radiation. 2. Description of the Prior Art In abdominal surgery, either of the laparotomy type or of a specific nature such as an appendectomy, surgical pads or sponges are needed.

The pads in generaluse are non-absorbent by the patients body and must be removed prior to closing the abdominal incision to prevent damage to the patient. Should a pad be inadvertently left in the abdomen or a suspicion exist that one was, then some means of locating the pad should be available, rather than making another abdominal incision. The pads in use are of square or rectangular shape, are usually fabricated of cotton gauze and have a loop withwhich a metal ring is many cal pad that is simple and inexpensive to construct but sturdy and long lasting in use.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature and characteristic features of the invendrawings forming part hereof, in which:

attached by the nurse prior to surgery. The metal rings are used for counting purposes and to assist in removal of the pad. Upon completion of the operation and removal of the pad the nurse detaches the ring and the pad is laundered and sterilized for re-use. In order to assist in pad detection should one be inadvertently left in the abdominal cavity, a radiation opaque strip is sewn into one corner of the pad. I

The usual procedure to determine the presence and location of a pad or pads has been to x-ray the patients abdominal area, which then provides identification as to the presence and location of a pad. However, the xray procedure is fraught with'some danger to the patient as the metal ring may react with the x-rays and cause a severe secondary irradiation hurt: as well as drag damage to sensitive body tissues.

The pad of the invention does not cause any secondary burns upon x-ray and does not suffer from the other shortcomings of prior designs.

- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A surgical pad is provided which includes a central gauze portion with a loop to which a plastic ring isattached, the ring containing a radiation opaque material to provide a means of counting, and detection thereof should the pad be left in an abdominal cavity. The rings may be of different colors to permit visual pad size determination.

The principal object of the invention isto provide asurgical pad that is easy to detect in an abdominal caviy A further object of the invention is to provide a surgical pad which has a plastic ring attached that is nontoxic to the patient and does not'cause secondary irradiation burns.

A further object of the invention is to provide a surgical pad that reduces labor costs.

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective illustrating the surgical pad in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-,-2 of FIG. 1.

It should, of course, beunderstood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely and that various modifications and changes can bemade in the structure herein without affecting the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTIONOF TI-IE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT preferably constructed of a three or fourply cotton gauze having the qualities of fluid absorption and nonshedding. Other suitable materials than cotton gauze may be used if desired.

The body 11 has a loop 14 attached thereto at one cornerof a length .of about six inches in the preferred embodiment and constructed of a cotton tape or other suitable material. A ring 20 is provided attached to the loop 14 andv is of a diameter of 2% inches in the preferred embodiment but also may be of lesser or greater dimensions, if desired. The ring 20 ispreferably constructed of either nylon or polypropylene or any other suitableplastic material with barium sulphate or any other suitable material incorporated therein in sui ficient quantity to make the ring radiation opaque so as different colors to indicate the size of pad used and facilitate the pad or sponge count.

If desired an additional radiation opaque strip 21 may be sewn into the pad at one corner to provide an added fail/safe means of pad identification.

It will thus be seen that a pad has been provided with which the objects of the invention are attained.

I. A surgical pad which comprises a body portion of fluid absorbent. material,

a loop portion attached to said body portion, and

radiation opaque non-metallic ring means engaged with said loop.

2. A surgical pad as defined in claim 1 in which said body portion is of at least two ply cotton gauze.

3. A surgical pad as defined in claim 1 in which said ring means is composed of synthetic plastic material with a radiation opaque additive.

said synthetic plastic material is polypropylene.

6. A surgical pad as defined in claim 3 in which said additive is barium sulphate. 7. A surgical pad as defined in claim 1 in which a radiation opaque strip is provided contiguous to' one margin of the body portion. 

1. A surgical pad which comprises a body portion of fluid absorbent material, a loop portion attached to said body portion, and radiation opaque non-metallic ring means engaged with said loop.
 2. A surgical pad as defined in claim 1 in which said body portion is of at least two ply cotton gauze.
 3. A surgical pad as defined in claim 1 in which said ring means is composed of synthetic plastic material with a radiation opaque additive.
 4. A surgical pad as defined in claim 3 in which said synthetic plastic material is nylon.
 5. A surgical pad as defined in claim 3 in which said synthetic plastic material is polypropylene.
 6. A surgical pad as defined in claim 3 in which said additive is barium sulphate.
 7. A surgical pad as defined in claim 1 in which a radiation opaque strip is provided contiguous to one margin of the body portion. 